Star Wars: Kanan #11 Review

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A tale of two Jedi nears the end. The climax is here…

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Kanan #11.

 

Kanan #11

Writer: Greg Weisman | Artist: Pepe Larraz | Colors: David Curiel | Cover: Mark Brooks | Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Kanan has told at least two stories over the eleven issues that compose its run so far. The first story is that of Caleb Dume, the Jedi Padawan that would become Kanan Jarrus. His story starts in the middle, proceeds to the end of his life as Caleb, and then resumes from the beginning as it proceeds back towards the middle. More specifically, his story starts with him as a Padawan, ends his life as a Jedi with his escape from Order 66, and then goes back in time to tell the story of how he became a Padawan and the events that lead up to Order 66. The second story is of Caleb’s master, Depa Billaba. Like Kanan, her story is told out of sequence. Her story starts with her fate, the end, and then when Caleb’s chronological story begins, we come in with the middle of her story. The beginning of Depa’s story is only ever told in exposition. In addition to both stories being told in a circular sequence, what both stories have in common is that they are stories of redemption.

Issue eleven of Kanan resumes with events on Kaller in what is the “present day”
in the comic series. Caleb Dume is now a grown man, and he has become Kanan. He has redeemed himself in the sense that he is no longer the rogue he became after Order 66. He had become a scoundrel in order to hide from the Empire and make his way in the galaxy. He was not interested in fighting for a cause at that time.

Now, Kanan has aligned himself with the Rebellion, and he is recuperating in a bacta tank while his comrades, the crew of the Ghost, protect him from Imperial Stormtroopers that have surrounded the facility. As he recuperates, his thoughts return to the time when he was the Padawan to Depa Billaba. Caleb, Depa, and some clones are in the middle of the Clone Wars, and they are currently fighting the Third Battle of Mygeeto. Things are not going well. They find themselves confronted by battle droids, a Cage warrior, and General Grievous.

This issue highlights the “firsts” that have occurred to Caleb. In the previous issue, Caleb lost his first friend, the clone trooper known as Stance. Later in this issue, Caleb takes his first life. The Cage warrior that killed Stance sets himself ablaze and attempts to kill Caleb. The young Padawan is left with very little choice but to kill his adversary lest he perish himself. This is not an action that he cherishes in the least. Thus far he has only destroyed droids in combat, and had been spared taking life. Therefore, Caleb’s journey in this series has been how his innocence has slowly been stripped away. Chronologically, he has experienced the sudden and terrible loss of a friend, the taking of life by his hands, and is about to experience the loss of his master and mentor while losing his entire way of life.

While Caleb’s journey has been about loss, Depa’s journey has been about recovery. Issues ago, Depa emerged from a bacta tank after recuperating from the wounds she received from General Grievous and his droid army. This was the middle of her story. The other Jedi sensed that while she had recovered physically, she had not healed mentally and emotionally. Her recovery on that front began when she and Caleb defeated the Cage warrior that attacked the Jedi Temple and she took Caleb as a Padawan. She makes the biggest steps in her recovery here. As the Jedi and clones drive off the Separatist forces, General Grievous taunts her that she will come to regret letting him escape. She responds that she has learned to live with regret. At this point, Depa’s story has nearly reached its climax. The ultimate resolution of her story occurred in issue two.

With the defeat of General Grievous and the droid army, the Third Battle of Mygeeto comes to a close. Caleb reflects on everything and grows up in the process. When he and Depa set out on their campaign, the war was a novelty to Caleb, and it was exciting. However, he now has blood on his hands, and no matter how justified the taking of a life may have been, it is not an experience he enjoyed. The loss of a friend and the taking of a life “both leave wounds [he] know[s] will never fully heal.” That is a sign of maturity. Caleb’s reflections are interrupted by the announcement that they will be leaving for Kaller, which is the site of the climactic moment of Caleb’s life as a Jedi Padawan.

The interruption in his thoughts snaps Kanan out of his recovery in the bacta tank back in the present day. He certainly knows how to make an entrance. With his team being held at gunpoint, Kanan literally explodes from the bacta tank, summons his lightsaber and takes out the Stormtroopers. It was an incredible sequence expertly illustrated by Pepe Larraz.

Sadly, the next issue of Kanan is the final issue of this series. Caleb’s story is returning to the events that happened in issue one and two with the execution of Order 66 on Kaller. Kanan’s story in this book is likely going to focus on an escape from Kaller and the Imperial forces that have gathered there. There is still hope that Kanan might be reunited, if even for a moment, with his old mentor, Janus Kasmir.

Favorite Panel:

I am rapidly running out of issues with which to highlight the incredible artwork created by Pepe Larraz for Star Wars. If readers are fortunate, Larraz will be brought back for future Star Wars stories. His art has been distinct from the other books, and it looks the most like a comic book. It has been a perfect choice for a show that ties into Rebels. It was hard to pick against the artwork featuring Depa dueling Grievous. However, for this week, I chose a panel that features Caleb after the Third Battle of Mygeeto. The clones have found him, and as usual, they address him as “kid.” Caleb has always been sensitive to that, but in this instance, it is more so than usual. He has just experienced two life altering events: 1) the loss of a friend, and 2) the taking of a life. Whatever was left of his innocence is gone. He doesn’t feel like a kid anymore, and he is right in thinking so. So, Caleb tells them not to call him “kid” anymore. The gravity of this panel plus the expertise with which Larraz conveys Caleb’s emotions in the art put this panel in a special place, and it is the favorite panel of the week.

Other Comics Comment:

If you watch Rebels, then you may have caught a reference to the Darth Vader series in the latest episode, “The Honorable Ones.” As the crew of the Ghost arrives at Geonosis, they attempt to scan for life on the planet. They discover none and that there is a large construction facility in orbit. Of course, the fact that the planet has been cleansed and the population sterilized was revealed in Darth Vader #3. The construction facility was for the Death Star. That is a job well done by the story group, Rebels creators, Kanan’s creators, and the editorial team for Marvel to tie everything together.